As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system (IHS) generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Portable information handling systems, such as laptop computers and 2-in-1 computers, may generally comprise a lid (or display portion) which is rotationally coupled to a base (or main chassis portion) of the IHS. In a traditional clamshell configuration, the lid is rotationally coupled to the base, so that the lid articulates between a closed position (approximately 0°) to a variety of open positions or usage angles. For example, the lid may be rotated from the closed position to a variety of usage angles (e.g., between approximately 90°-120°) to expose a display screen of the IHS to the user. In some clamshell configurations, the lid may be rotated to a fully open position of approximately 180°. The lid may be rotated back to the closed position to enhance portability of the IHS. In most cases, one or more single-axle hinges may be coupled between the lid and the base on a rear surface of the IHS to provide the articulation desired in the clamshell configuration.
Although conventional clamshell configurations provide ease of use and convenience, the lid generally does not offer a firm enough platform for accepting touchscreen inputs. For this and other reasons, some portable information handling systems that include a touchscreen display in an articulating lid may be configured to rotate to a tablet-style configuration. In a tablet-style configuration, the lid is rotationally coupled to the base, so that the lid articulates approximately 360° from the closed position to the fully open position. In the fully open position, the top side of the lid is supported on the bottom side of the base and the display screen is exposed (like a tablet) for receiving touchscreen input. Supporting the top side of the lid on the bottom side of the base improves stability of the lid when receiving touchscreen input. Due the greater rotational angle, tablet-style configurations may include one or more dual-axle hinges between the lid and the base on a rear surface of the IHS to provide the desired articulation.
FIGS. 1(A)-(C) and FIGS. 2(A)-(C) illustrate examples of two different types of dual-axle hinges that are often used in portable information handling systems having a tablet-style configuration (often referred to as 2-in-1 computers). In the portable IHSs 10/20 shown in FIGS. 1(A)-(C) and FIGS. 2(A)-(C), a dual-axle hinge assembly 16/26 is coupled between the lid 12 and base 14 of the portable IHS on a rear surface of the IHS. The dual-axle hinge assembly 16/26 includes a pair of hinge axles, denoted hinge axle A and hinge axle B, which are stacked one on top of the other along a vertical axis (denoted 0°). Hinge axle A is coupled to lid 12 and hinge axle B is coupled to base 14 of information handling systems 10/20.
In the IHS 10 shown in FIGS. 1(A)-(C), a synchronous dual-axle hinge assembly 16 (otherwise referred to as a synchronous hinge) is rotationally coupled between the lid 12 and the base 14. In synchronous hinges, the hinge axles A and B rotate synchronously (i.e., with the same rotation speed and angle) when the lid 12 is rotated from the closed position (approximately 0°) shown in FIG. 1(A) through a variety of usage angles to the fully open position (approximately 360°) shown in FIG. 1(C).
In the IHS 20 shown in FIGS. 2(A)-(C), an asynchronous dual-axle hinge assembly 26 (otherwise referred to as an asynchronous tower hinge) is rotationally coupled between the lid 12 and the base 14. In the asynchronous dual-axle hinge assembly 26 shown in FIGS. 2(A)-(C), the upper hinge axle A rotates first when the lid 12 is rotated from the closed position (approximately 0°) shown in FIG. 2(A) to approximately 180° before the lower hinge axle B engages and continues the rotation to the fully open position (approximately 360°) shown in FIG. 2(C).
In some portable IHSs, it may be desirable to reduce the appearance of the display screen bezel width on all four sides of the display screen to provide a “narrow” bezel or “infinity” bezel appearance. The hinge assemblies 16/26 shown in FIGS. 1(A)-(C) and FIGS. 2(A)-(C) cannot be used to provide a “narrow” bezel or “infinity” bezel appearance.